Oerlikon (Zürich)

Oerlikon is a quarter in the northern part of the city of Zürich, Switzerland. A formerly independent municipality, Oerlikon was merged with Zürich in 1934 and forms today, together with Affoltern and Seebach, the city district 11.

History

The name Oerlikon goes back to the Alemannic settlement founder Orilo. Oerlikon was mentioned for the first time in the year 946 (other source: 942) as ''Orlinchowa''. At that time the town consisted of no more than one dozen houses. Later on it was part of the municipality of Schwamendingen, where the inhabitants of Oerlikon went to school and attended church.

In 1855 the line from Oerlikon to Winterthur via Wallisellen was established by the '' Schweizerische Nordostbahn'' (NOB). The following year the line was extended to Zürich Hauptbahnhof through the Wipkingen Tunnel. Lines from Wallisellen to Uster (1856) and Oerlikon to Bülach via Glattbrugg (1865) followed. The opening of these lines triggered the industrialisation of Oerlikon, and a massive population growth. In particular the large works of ''Maschinenfabrik Oerlikon'' was established immediately to the west of the station. In 1872 Oerlikon was separated from Schwamendingen and became its own municipality.

In 1897, the from Zürich to Oerlikon was built, with branches to Seebach, Glattbrugg and Schwamendingen. The tramway was linked to, and became part of, Zürich's city trams in 1931, at which time the lines to Glattbrugg and Schwamendingen were closed. In 1934, Oerlikon was merged into an expanded city of Zürich.

In the early 1950s, Zurich Airport opened less that to the north of Oerlikon. In 1969 the Käferberg Tunnel was opened, providing a second railway route between Oerlikon and Zürich Hauptbahnhof, whilst in 1979 a new line was constructed from Oerlikon to Winterthur via Zurich Airport. With Oerlikon now only minutes away from the airport by direct train, it became a desirable location for offices and hotels. The rail link to the airport was complemented between 2006 and 2010 by the opening of the Glattalbahn, providing a fast tram connection from Oerlikon to the airport and surrounding Glattal region. In 2014, the Weinberg Tunnel opened, providing Oerlikon with its third railway route to Hauptbahnhof.

Places of interest

South of the railway line the Oerlikon town centre with the shopping centres ''Neumarkt'' and ''züri 11 shopping'', the luxury hotel Swissôtel and the market place are located. Also in this area is the intersection known as ''Sternen Oerlikon'' (''Oerlikon Star''). This name was given because of the arrangement of streets in the tram stop area, which form a five-pointed star. The streets which comprise the star are: ''Schaffhauserstrasse'', ''Ohmstrasse'', ''Wallisellenstrasse'', and ''Querstrasse''.

North of the station, a new quarter called '' Neu-Oerlikon'' (New Oerlikon) is being built. In the former industrial area new living and working area is created. This urban architecture is lightened up by generous parks. In the last few years, four very outstanding new parks were built: The ''Oerliker Park'' with a look-out tower, the ''MFO-Park'' on the area of the earlier engine factory ''Maschinenfabrik Oerlikon'', the ''Traugott Wahlen-Park'' and the Louis-Häfliger-Park. In the same are, the older ''Gustav-Ammann-Park'' was originally created for the workforce of a former machine tool factory, but with the closure of the factory it has become a public park.

In the 1930s, the ''Maschinenfabrik Oerlikon'' produced, among else, weapons for Germany’s Nazi regime during World War II. It has been suggested that this is why in 1995, in an effort to come to terms with Switzerland’s role in World War II, a streetnaming-committee decided to name some of Neu-Oerlikon’s streets after humanitarian activists, Jewish immigrants and others who opposed Germany’s Nazi regime.

Economy

Beside the head office of Oerlikon Contraves, the buildings of the Zürich fair ''Messe Zürich'' as well as the stadium Hallenstadion are located in Oerlikon. Also Maschinenfabrik Oerlikon, founded in 1876, resided here. Further industrial enterprises settled in Oerlikon are OC Oerlikon (former ''Unaxis'') and ABB.

The Swissôtel Zürich, one of the city's largest hotels, is located opposite Oerlikon railway station.

Transportation

Zürich Oerlikon railway station is, as an important junction of the Zürich S-Bahn network, a bottleneck for public traffic. Oerlikon is a nodal point where the lines S2, S5, S6, S7, S8, S14 and S16 of the Zürich S-Bahn, the Stadtbahn Glattal and Zürich trams in the Glatt Valley interconnect. Train connections to Oerlikon from Zürich Hauptbahnhof are very frequent, and the ride takes only about six minutes. The Zürich Oerlikon railway station has been expanded and modernized by December 2015. This was one of the key deliverables in the Zürich Cross-City Link Project, one of the biggest constructions on the Swiss railway systems in order to significantly increase its S-bahn service capacity for the anticipated increase in demand for public transportation.

Education

''Schule Im Birch'' is located in Neu-Oerlikon.

''Schulhaus Kügelliloo'' is located in Oerlikon.

''Kantonsschule Zürich Nord'', an upper secondary school, is located in Oerlikon. It was formed by the merger of ' and ', and opened in 2012.Porträt der Kantonsschule Zürich Nord

Archive
. ''Kantonsschule Zürich Nord''. Retrieved on April 23, 2015. "Die Kantonsschule Zürich Nord (KZN) entstand aus der Zusammenführung der früheren Kantonsschulen Oerlikon und Zürich Birch." The school is one of the biggest grammar schools in Switzerland.

Cultural references

''Usfahrt Oerlike'' is a 2015 Swiss German film starring Mathias Gnädinger and Jörg Schneider.

Gallery

File:Zuerich Neu Oerlikon MFO-Park innen.jpg, MFO-Park
File:Zürich - Oerlikon - Nord IMG 1730.JPG, Oerliker-Park
File:Zürich - Oerlikon - Reformierte Kirche IMG 4469 ShiftN.jpg, Reformed church
File:Zürich - Oerlikon - Dorflinde IMG 4897 ShiftN.jpg, ''Dorflinde'', district administration buildings at ''Schwamendingenstrasse''
File:Zürich - Oerlikon IMG 3931.jpg, Sunset in Zürich Nord (Regina-Kägi-Hof)
File:Zürich - Seebach - Oerlikon IMG 1722.JPG, Oerlikon and Zürich-Nord as seen from Seebach
File:Zürich - Oerlikon IMG 3912.jpg, Tram station ''Sternen Oerlikon''

References

External links

Website des Quartiervereins Oerlikon - in German

AG Industriegeschichte(n) Oerlikon - in German

''z'Oerlike gits alles!'' - in German

{{DEFAULTSORT:Oerlikon (Zurich)
District 11 of Zürich
Former municipalities of the canton of Zürich